The seven million strong American
Muslim community has welcomed the visit of President Barrack Obama to Maryland
mosque where the President called on Americans to embrace their common
humanity and reject the inexcusable political rhetoric emanating from the
presidential campaign trail.

The
President said: "In this era of heightened rhetoric during the
Presidential election season, along with the rise of anti-Islamic propaganda,
it is important for our elected officials to stand with the Muslim community to
show solidarity with the more than 6 million Muslim Americans. Our nation was
founded on religious tolerance and common ethos which requires us to stand
together as Americans."

Most Americans do agree
that there is a lot of discrimination against Muslims. A Pew Research Center survey released
the same day as Obama's speech finds that 59 percent of Americans say there is
"a lot" of discrimination against Muslims today. In other words,
Obama was right on point.

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According to Baltimore Sun, though Obama touched on the
presidential election only tangentially, White House aides say he decided
to speak at the mosque largely to counter statements and policies floated by
Republican candidates in recent months. Republican Presidential hopeful Donald
Trump, in particular, has stirred controversy by proposing to bar Muslims from
entering the country.

"Recently, we've heard inexcusable political
rhetoric against Muslim Americans that has no place in our country," Obama
said. "We have to reject a politics that seeks to manipulate prejudice or
bias, and targets people because of religion."

White House officials were quoted by CNN as saying that
Obama was looking to issue a forceful counterpoint to the language favored by
some Republican presidential candidates like Donald Trump, who has proposed
banning all Muslims from entering the country until tighter anti-terror
measures are put into place. But they also hoped to counter GOP claims that
Obama hasn't been forceful enough in demanding that Muslim leaders help root
out extremism.

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Republican presidential candidates, Marco Rubio and Donald Trump criticized President Obama's call for religious tolerance. The Christian Science Monitor reported that the GOP presidential candidate Donald Trump was among the first to criticize Obama for his visit to Mosque. When asked on Fox News Channel about the president's visit, he said, "Maybe he feels comfortable there." "We have a lot of problems in this country," Trump continued. "There are a lot of places he can go and he chose a mosque."

On his campaign trail in New Hampshire, Florida Sen. Marco Rubio accused the president of "pitting people against each other" by making an appeal to Muslim Americans. "Look at today. He gave a speech at a mosque, basically implying that America is discriminating against Muslims," Rubio said: "Of course there's discrimination in America, of every kind. But the bigger issue is radical Islam.

President
Obama spoke warmly about Islam during his speech at the mosque, highlighting
the contributions that Muslims had made to the fabric of American society. "Islam has always been part of America," he said,
detailing the beginnings of the religion among African slaves brought to
America. He also pointed out that Thomas Jefferson wrote in the Virginia
statute for religious freedom that the "Mohammedan" should have his faith
protected in the United States.

During his speech, the President praised the religion for
being a religion of peace -- not the hate preached by groups like ISIS."The very
word Islam comes from 'Salam' -- peace," he said. "The standard greeting is
'As-Salaam-Alaikum' -- 'Peace be upon you,'" he explained. "Like so many faiths,
Islam is rooted in a commitment to compassion and mercy and justice and
charity. "Whoever wants to enter paradise, the prophet Mohammad taught, let him
treat people the way he would love to be treated," he said as the audience
applauded. "For Christians like myself, I'm assuming that sounds familiar," he
continued.

During his speech, Obama
praised Islam for being a religion of peace -- not the hate preached by
groups like ISIS."The very word Islam comes from 'Salam' -- peace," he said.
"The standard greeting is 'As-Salaam-Alaikum' -- 'Peace be upon you,'" he
explained. "Like so many faiths, Islam is rooted in a commitment to compassion
and mercy and justice and charity. "Whoever wants to enter paradise, the
prophet Mohammad taught, let him treat people the way he would love to be
treated," he said. "For Christians like
myself, I'm assuming that sounds familiar," he continued.

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Obama reminded the audience that political opponents of
Thomas Jefferson accused him of being a Muslim. "So I was not the first," he
said lightly as the audience laughed. "It's true. Look it up. I'm in good
company." Obama pointed out that the founding fathers also supported the
religion of Islam. "Jefferson and John Adams had their own copies of the
Koran," he said. "Benjamin Franklin wrote, that even if the Mufti of
Constantinople were to send a missionary to preach to us, he would find a
pulpit at his service."

He demanded that Americans stop profiling Muslims and
treating them differently because of their faith -- criticizing political
rhetoric for inflaming hatred against the Muslim community. "We have to reject
a politics that seeks to manipulate prejudice or bias and targets people
because of religion," he said.

American Muslim groups have welcomed President Obama's
visit to Baltimore Mosque.

Author and journalist.
Author of
Islamic Pakistan: Illusions & Reality;
Islam in the Post-Cold War Era;
Islam & Modernism;
Islam & Muslims in the Post-9/11 America.
Currently working as free lance journalist.
Executive Editor of American (more...)